Window-shade roller



Nov. 4 1924. 1,514,182

J. STEC WINDOW SHADE ROLLER Filed March 9. 1923 M 101? 61 3 1ml 5 10 2a a m i Patented Nov. 4-, i924.

Jenn STTEC," or WAPWALLQPEN',rnnnsytvaniii.

WINDOW sI-IADE ROLLER.

Application filed March 9, 1923. Serial 1101623312.

rollers, and it has for a general object to provide an' improved window shade roller of the spring type.

More specificallythe invention has for an object to provide a construction for the operating mechanism for the roller, whlch Wlll IQDClEI the same more certain 111 its action in holding the shade at any desired elevation.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the Various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings'is a longitudinal sectional View of a spring roller constructed accordingto my invention, indicating an ordinary shade in position thereon.

Fig. 2-is an "endview thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the body of the roller is in theform of a tube or elongated cylinder having its ends closed by fixed heads 11 and 12 respectively, the head 11 being located inward a short distance from the end of the cylinder to pro vide a chamber 13 containing the clutch mechanism. The roller is mounted to rotate on a fixed shaft 14 which passes freely through suitable apertures in the said heads 11 and 12. The shaft 14 has fixed thereon, about midway between its ends. a

' circular block 15 and to this block is fixed one end of each of a pair of helical springs 16 which are coiled around the shaft on opposite sides of said block and are connected at their opposite ends with the heads 11 and 12 respectively, the connection being here shown as eifected by passing the ends of the springs behind pins 17 fixed to the heads 11, 12.

Upon the end of the cylinder 10 closed by head 12 a short drum 20 is fixed and ATENT OFFICE! around this drum is'coiled'a cord 21 which I has one end attached to/the drum and its" other end depending freeiand adapted to" be engaged by the hand of the person lowering the shade. Itis understood of-course thatthe shade, indicated'at 22, is wound on the roller in. correspondence to the winding of the cord 20 so that when the latter-is pulled the shade is lowered. f

The sha'de22'is held *in lowered position by means of a novel formlof clutch device which is constructed as follows: Mounted on the shaft 14 in the chamber 13 and adjacentthe headull is a; disk,,25, which is freely rotatable on g the shaft" but held against movement therealongi" This disk;

hasan annular fia-nge26 at itsedge whic'hj is formedwith internal ratchet teethQ'Tien-I gagediby a'springpressed pawl28 on the] he'adll. This arrangement permits offr'ee rotation of the cylinder 10 in'one direction with respect to this disk 25.

Featheredon the shaft14 by an ordinary key and groove I arrangement indicated at 29 with one; face incontact'withjthedisk is a second disk 30 formed with a pair;v

of apertures through which pass pins extending parallel to the shaft 14,, their-,1

opposite ends being connected'by' slotand pin connections 32 with V the radial iarms of bell crank levers 33 which are fulcrumed to lugs 34 on the shaft 14 and whose other arms extend in a longitudinal direction and engage under spiral cams 35 formed on the radial wall of a drum 36 closing the chamber 13 in the cylinder in which the parts just referred to are located. This drum 36 has a cord 37 attachedthereto and depending downward and adapted to be pulled to release the shade.

Formed .in the disk 25 are apertures 40 adapted to register with the apertures in the disk 30 through which the pins 31 are inserted. The pins 31 are pressed into these apertures 40 by means of coiled springs 41. which surround these pins and bear between collars 47 fixed thereto and straps 43 having openings therein through which the pins pass. The disk 30- is pressed against the disk 25 by means of an expansion spring 44 coiled around the shaft 14 and having for an abutment a collar 45 fixed to the latter. Theshaft 14 is formed with flattened ends 46 adapted to engage in vertical slots 47 in brackets 48 fixed to the Window frame.

When the shade has been lowered, and the springs 16 tensioned, the roller is held against movement in a direction to raise the'shade by reason of the engagement of the pawl 28 on the head 11 with the ratchet teeth 27 on the disk 25. This disk is held against rotation on shaft '14 both by means of the pins 31, and also by reason of its frictional engagement with the disk 80. When cord 37 is pulled, and drum 36 rotated, the levers 83 are swung to first pull the pins 31 from the apertures 40 in the disk 25. The springs 41 being relatively weak, the frictional engagement of the two disks is maintained until an additional movement of the pins 31 compresses the springs 41 substantially to their limits, whereupon the friction holdof the two disks on one another is decreased and the shade moves upward.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows;

'1. A window shade roller comprising a "cylinder, a fixed shaft on which said cylinder is rotatably mounted, a spring in said cylinder ad'aptedto urge it to rotate in one direction, and a manually releasable clutch element adapted to hold said cylinder against rotation under the influence of said spring, said clutch element comprising a pair of disks in said cylinder adapted to friction ally engage one another, a ratchet and pawl connection between one of said disks and the said cylinder, pins adapted to pass and the said cylinder, pins adapted to pass through registering apertures in the said disks to lock the latter to one another, le-

vers connected to said pins, and means for operating said levers, said means comprising a drum rotatably around the said shaft, and cam elements on said drum adapted to engage said levers.

3. A window shaderoller comprising a cylinder, a fixed shaft on which said cylinder is rotatably mounted, a spring in said cylinder adapted to urge it to rotate in one direction, and a manually releasable clutch element adapted to hold said cylinder against rotation under the influence of said spring, said clutch element comprising a pair of disks in said cylinder adapted to frictionally engage one another, a ratchet and pawl connection between one of said disks and the said cylinder, pins adapted to pass through registering apertures in the said disks to lock the latter to one another, levers connected to said pins, and means for operating said levers, said means comprising a drum rotatably around the said shaft, and cam elements on said drum adapted to engage said levers, and a cord attached to said drum.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOHN STEO. 

